Phoenix Suns: This might not be the playoffs, but it feels like the playoffs

The Phoenix Suns might not make the actual playoffs, but making the field of 22 is an accomplishment for which the team should be proud.

We already knew this, but it became official after the board of governor’s call Thursday. The Phoenix Suns will be part of the 22 teams invited to ESPN’s Wide World of Sports facilities at Disney World in Orlando, Florida to continue the 2019-2020 NBA season.

This isn’t the playoffs, but for Suns fans, it kind of feels like it.

Making the actual playoffs is going to be a tall order for the Suns. It’s not impossible, but not likely. However, getting the opportunity to play an additional eight games in the summer that not every team gets to play is a small privilege.

Granted, they barely squeaked in, but they’re in. One more loss somewhere in the pre-pandemic season and they’d be joining the likes of the Knicks and the Cavaliers in the exclusion group, and this article would look very different.

The Phoenix Suns making the field of 22 is an accomplishment.

At the beginning of the season, everyone said something along the lines of, “The Suns don’t need to make the playoffs this year, but they need to take the next step,” but then often failed to define what that next step was.

This is that next step!

I know, I get it. Patting themselves on the back for finishing 22nd in the league isn’t exactly a noble look. But making this field of 22 is a tangible achievement they can point to and say, “We did this.”

Without the hiatus, the Suns would have limped to the finish of the regular season, figuratively and literally considering the vast amount of injuries they had accumulated. They would have finished with around a 0.400 win percentage, missed the playoffs by several games, and optimists would be forced to point to a generic win total jump from the season prior as the next step they needed to make.

Now they have an actual accomplishment. They have an achievement they can point to and say, “We made the field of 22 and even though we didn’t make the playoffs (assuming they don’t make the playoffs), we were right there in contention. Now let’s go get it next season.”

That has to be motivational to the players, especially Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. For guys looking for inspiration, this is exactly the kind of boost that will inject enthusiasm in the veins of everyone in the organization.

Don’t let the chronic naysayers get you down. It’s not only great we all get to watch more Phoenix Suns basketball this season, making the field of 22 is exactly the next step toward this franchise becoming a winner again that everyone hoped would come.